Boat boarding step and seat

ABSTRACT

The boarding step is so constructed that it can be secured to the gunwale at the side of a boat cockpit to permit one to enter the cockpit from the dock when facing inwardly. The treads are wider than normal so as to function in the same manner as a plurality of steps. A pivoted U-shape frame on the step may be swung rearwardly to form the rear legs and back of a chair or which can be swung upwardly to a substantially vertical position to form handholds on both sides of the step to provide stability for one entering the cockpit. When the legs are moved to a position in alignment with the center of the treads, the boarding step forms a compact unit for storage. The hangers to which the spaced heads on the end of the boarding step are secured are unique in being of the locking-type to prevent the accidental separation after installation.

United States Patent Bedford, Jr.

[ 1 Mar. 7, 1972 54] BOAT BOARDING STEP AND SEAT 21 Appl. No.: 60,661

[52] US. Cl .;..l82/23, 182/93, 182/106 [51] Int. Cl. i ..E06c 5/24 [58] Field ofSearch ..l82/24, 23, 33-316,

Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado Attorney-Harness, Dickey & Pierce [5 7] ABSTRACT The boarding step is so constructed that it can be secured to the gunwale at the side of a boat cockpit to permit one to enter the cockpit from the dock when facing inwardly.'The treads are wider than normal so as to function in the same manner as a plurality of steps. A pivoted U-shape frame on the step may be swung rearwardly to form the rear legs and back of a chair or which can be swung upwardly to a substantially vertical position to form handholds on both sides of the step to provide stability for one entering the cockpit. When the legs are moved to a position in alignment with the center of the treads, the boarding step forms a compact unit for storage. The hangers to which the spaced heads on the end of the boarding'step are secured are unique in being of the locking-type to prevent the accidental separation after installation.

1 1 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BOAT BOARDING STEP AND SEAT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to a boarding step for a boat which is supported at the side of the cockpit to provide ready access thereto. The steps are formed from a pair of side rails which are attached to spaced frames on which upper and lower treads are secured. The downwardly. extending ends of the rails have elastomeric cups thereon which engage the floor. The rearwardly extending ends have securing heads thereon which are locked to hangers on the inner face of the gunwale.

A tubular U-shaped frame, embodying a crossmember and extending Iegs,.is pivoted to the rearwardly extending portion of the side rails at such a point as to permit the crossmember to swing over the ends of the rearwardly extending portions into engagement with the upper tread. The crossmember is locked to the tread by a pin which extends through an aperture at the center thereof and at the center rear portion of the tread. In this relationship, the legs extend upwardly at each side of the step and form handholds which steady the person when stepping from the clock to the steps and cockpit. When using the, handholds, the hands, eyes and feet of the boarder are all subject to a unit of motion and provides assurance not otherwise obtained.-

When the legs extend downwardly and the crossmember is above the treads, side braces pivoted to the side rails have a notch at the free end which extend over headed pins on the legs to lock the legs in fixed relation to the rails to form a chair which was found to be useful in the small cockpit of a boat. When the legs are swung inwardly parallel to the side rails, a compact unit results which is readily hung or stored whennot in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view of a boarding step secured to the gunwale in the cockpit of a boat embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the boarding step of FIG. 1, when employed as a chair;

FIG. 3 is a view of the boarding step illustrated in FIG. 1 with the legs of the chair extending upwardly to form handholds at each side of the step above the gunwale, and

FIG. 4 is a broken view of a pair of hangers embodying locking features which prevent the inadvertance separation of the steps from the gunwale.

DESCRIPTION OF TI-IEPREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The boarding step 11 is constructed from a pair of side rails 12 and 13 which have the upper attaching ends bent rearwardly at 14 and the bottom ends bent downwardly at 15. A pair of U-shaped tubular elements 16 are secured by rivets 17 to the side rails. The upper leg of the pair of U-shaped elements support a tread 18 which may be made of wood, metal, plastic or the like being secured thereto by screws or rivets 19. A bottom tread 21 is preferably of the same material as that of the top tread 18 and of greater width to extend forwardly thereof. The tread 21 is securedto the bottom legs of the U- shaped members 16 by a plurality of screws or rivets l9 inthe same manner as the upper tread. The comers 22 of the lower tread 21 may be cut out as illustrated in the Figures to permit the forward extension thereof. The ends of the downward portion of the side rails 12 and 13 have caps 23 of elastomeric material slid thereover to form feet thereon which prevents slipping and marring. The ends of the rearwardly extending portions 14 of the side rails 12 and 13 have securing heads 24 extending therefrom which lock within slots 25 in hangers 26 which are fastened to a wall such as the gunwale 27.

A further novel arrangement for the steps 11 is the use of a U-shaped frame 28 having a crossmember 29 and legs 31 which are curled rearwardly at the ends 32. The frame has the upper portion of the legs pivoted to the rails 12 and 13 at the point where the end bends rearwardly at 14 by rivets 33. The ends of the curled back portions 32 have an elastomeric cap 34 applied thereto to close the end thereof. The crossbar 29 of the frame rests against the gunwale 27 when the leg portions 31 extend downwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and are spaced from the floor sufficiently to permit the heads 24 to be locked within the hangers 26.

In FIG. 3,. the frame 28 is shown in a reverse position in which the. crossmember 29 is swung over the ends of the end portions 14 of the side rails. 12. and 13 into engagement with the rear portion of the upper tread. 18 to which. it is secured by a pin 35 which extends through an aperture in the crossmember and an aperture 36 in the tread. The pin 35 is pressfitted in the aperture 36 when not in use and may have a chain or cord applied thereto to prevent its loss. In this arrangement, the legs 31 extend upwardly above the gunwaleat each side of the side rails 12 and 13 with the curled ends 32 in aposition to form handholds for a person stepping from the dock to the toward each other in position to be engaged by the notches 39 of the braces 37 to retain the framein fixed relation to the side rails 12 and 13 to formthe chair illustrated in the Figure. The upper tread 18 is used as the seat while the crossmember 29 forms a back support. The chair is especially useful for children who can support the feet on the bottom tread 21. The side rails 12 and 13, the frame 28 andthe U-shaped elements 16 are preferably made from anodizedtubing of sufficient diameter to provide rigidity to the unit. All of the parts are made from aluminum, stainless steel orv like material which is rust resistant.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the hangers 26 are of the locking type having the slot 25 of arcuate oppositely directed shape providing oppositely directed extended portions 42 and 43. The extending portions force the stud portion 44 under the head 24 to spring the rearwardly bent portions 14 of the side rails 12 and 13 apart so that they will spring back into-the bottom ends 45 of the slots where they will be positively retained against accidental separation which often occurs when straight keyhole slots are employed. The hangers 26 may be made of metal but are preferably made of a hard resilient plastic. A pair of apertures are provided in the hangers in which screws 46 are driven to secure the hangers on the supporting element. One of the apertures may be slotted as illustrated at 47 so that adjustment may be made relative to the amount of locking force required at the time the hangers are being installed.

I claim:

' 1. In a boarding step, a step portion having spaced side rails and a plurality of treads therebetween, a frame of U-shape having a crossmember and extending legs, means for pivoting said legs to the rails, and means on the top portion of said side rails by which the rails are secured to a member.

2. In a boarding step as recited in claim 1, wherein bracing means pivoted to the rails are releasably secured to the legs to form a chair.

3. In a boarding step as recitedin claim 2, wherein the crossmember of the frame forms the back of the chair.

4. In a boarding step as recited in claim I, wherein means are provided for securing the crossmember to the top tread to have the legs extend upwardly at the sides of the step to form handholds.

5. In a boarding step as recited in claim 1, wherein hangers on a support receive the top ends of the rails with the crossmember adjacent to the support and the ends of the legs spaced from the floor.

6. In a boarding step as recited in claim 5, wherein the top ends of the rails have a head on a stud and wherein said hangers have an aperture which receive the head and a sinuous slot extending downwardly therefrom providing. oppositely presenting portions engaged by the studs which spring the rails apart when the studs move downwardly thereover into locked position therebelow.

7. In a boarding step, .a pair of side rails having the bottom bent downwardly and the top ends bent rearwardly, a pair of U-shaped tubular elements, each having a pair of legs, means for attaching said pair of legs to each rail, a top tread joining the top legs of the elements, and a bottom tread joining the bottom legs of the elements forming a rigid unit.

8. In a boarding step as recited in claim 7, wherein the bottom tread is of greater depth than the top tread with notched comers at the front to permit the tread to extend a substantial distance forwardly of the top tread.

9. In a boarding step as recited in claim 8, wherein a U shaped frame is provided having a crossmember and a pair of legs, and means for pivoting the legs to the rails near the rear-, 

1. In a boarding step, a step portion having spaced side rails and a plurality of treads therebeTween, a frame of U-shape having a crossmember and extending legs, means for pivoting said legs to the rails, and means on the top portion of said side rails by which the rails are secured to a member.
 2. In a boarding step as recited in claim 1, wherein bracing means pivoted to the rails are releasably secured to the legs to form a chair.
 3. In a boarding step as recited in claim 2, wherein the crossmember of the frame forms the back of the chair.
 4. In a boarding step as recited in claim 1, wherein means are provided for securing the crossmember to the top tread to have the legs extend upwardly at the sides of the step to form handholds.
 5. In a boarding step as recited in claim 1, wherein hangers on a support receive the top ends of the rails with the crossmember adjacent to the support and the ends of the legs spaced from the floor.
 6. In a boarding step as recited in claim 5, wherein the top ends of the rails have a head on a stud and wherein said hangers have an aperture which receive the head and a sinuous slot extending downwardly therefrom providing oppositely presenting portions engaged by the studs which spring the rails apart when the studs move downwardly thereover into locked position therebelow.
 7. In a boarding step, a pair of side rails having the bottom bent downwardly and the top ends bent rearwardly, a pair of U-shaped tubular elements, each having a pair of legs, means for attaching said pair of legs to each rail, a top tread joining the top legs of the elements, and a bottom tread joining the bottom legs of the elements forming a rigid unit.
 8. In a boarding step as recited in claim 7, wherein the bottom tread is of greater depth than the top tread with notched corners at the front to permit the tread to extend a substantial distance forwardly of the top tread.
 9. In a boarding step as recited in claim 8, wherein a U-shaped frame is provided having a crossmember and a pair of legs, and means for pivoting the legs to the rails near the rearwardly bent portions thereof.
 10. In a boarding step as recited in claim 9, wherein means are provided for releasably securing the legs rearwardly of the bottom tread to form a chair.
 11. In a boarding step as recited in claim 9, wherein means are provided for releasably securing the crossmember of the frame to the top tread with the legs extending upwardly thereabove to form handholds on opposite sides of the step. 